WHAT IS UP WITH NCL?? AUG 3 Sailing

[summerbaby]

I don't post here often (just once on the roll call) but I need to comment on this one. I understand how scary a medical emergency can be. I was married to a diabetic and he was always having reactions to different sugar levels. It is hard to keep a clear head when a loved one is in this condition and I would want the cruise staff to act immediately to help.

 

That said, I also wanted to agree with you on the general attitude of the people on the ship. I felt like many (not all) of the dining room staff were surly and did not care if I was pleased with my food/drinks, etc. Our mini suite was very dirty but I felt uncomfortable telling the steward since he seemed overworked. Perhaps I should have spoken up but I kept thinking things would get better. I loved Bermuda and the excursion that we took was excellent but the Dawn left a bad taste in my mouth for NCL.

 

I have been cruising since 1987, racking up about 15 cruises. I always liked NCL but this trip was very disappointing.

 

Perhaps it was just a bad week...

[AFAMILY]

my complaint is with the desk staff not the medical staff. We had an emergency and the desk was asking stupid questions when we needed help. Questions should be asked later. And to be told that there must of been a language barrier--COME ON!!!

 

Like i said the cruise was still good and we were pampered but it may be time to try something new.

 

I have to agree with you on this totally.

 

I understand most of the crew is not American, and we have never had a problem communicating (eventually) with any crewmember. Fortunately we never had an emergency of any kind while onboard, thank God. If we had, I would have wanted/expected someone who spoke fluent English available to assist immediately. I guess this is the sort of thing most people, at least us, never think about. But it could have had disasterous consequences. Luckily, your nephew was fine, after a scare to your entire family.

 

It's great you and your family were able to enjoy the rest of your cruise. The crew of the Dawn is really very-hard working and try to make your vacation special.

 

Happy cruising wherever and on whatever line you choose in the future. :)

[Ms belp]

My nephew did have 2 glucagon shots--we did not know where to find them. Since I don't see my nephew that often i was not too sure what to do. He was unable to speak and i was squeezing grapes in his mouth and i could not leave him alone--one of my sons went to find my sis brother in law or my niece to alert them. My niece came in a we tried to have him sip on some soda--only thing avail--and that is when he collapsed. My niece and i were frantic in the hallways yelling for a glucagon needle--there were 4 rooms to be checked we got into them and dumped all the luggage to find it. But in the meantime--when i first walked into the boys' room i alerted my husband to go and find my sis because i knew my nephew was not doing well. The rest of the trip that pen stayed with him and was visible to all that he was with. But my complaint is with the desk staff not the medical staff. We had an emergency and the desk was asking stupid questions when we needed help. Questions should be asked later. And to be told that there must of been a language barrier--COME ON!!!

 

Like i said the cruise was still good and we were pampered but it may be time to try something new.

 

It may be time to leave the nephew at home. The rest of the stuff was just minor in most cruiser's opinion. You'll more than likely encounter the same.

[Mooder]

/It may be time to leave the nephew at home./quote]

 

I hope this was a joke!!!

[AFAMILY]

It may be time to leave the nephew at home.

 

If that was meant to be funny, IT'S NOT.....and if you're serious it was EXTREMELY RUDE!

[greywillow]

Did your nephew have a pen?

We learned in a later posting that the location of the pen was a mystery, and that four staterooms worth of luggage had to be turned upside-down in order to find it. Huh? I would think something as critical as that would be in a prominent place and all adults in the party would be aware of its location. My wife and I keep the Karo syrup--in case our diabetic cat has an incident--in a prominent place, and we've used it on many occasions.

[Mooder]

we've used it on many occasions.

 

This may be exactly the key. I'm not saying it is right, but when things don't come up frequently, people tend to become lax about them. The first time I had an allergic reaction to a bug bite, I began carrying my medication religiously and everyone with me always knew where it was. Now, it has been a long time since it was needed so I have become less careful about having it with me. Is this right? No (and I'm going right home to put it in my purse). But if the nephew does not have frequent episodes it may explain the situation. I don't claim to know a lot about diabetes, but human nature is what it is.

[luckystarmom]

My daughter has a seizure disorder. She was just diagnosed with it 6 months ago. We just got off of the Star, and nothing happened. After reading your post, I'm thinking we should have had a better plan in case she did have a seizure.

 

We did purchase traveler's insurance, so we wouldn't have to worry about getting the help she needed.

 

My daughter is 11, and she and her twin sister ran around the ship by themselves.

 

I carry emergency medicine with me to give to her in case she has a seizures, but I'm not always with them. I had her wear an medical alert bracelet when she was not with me. (She hated wearing it!!!!)

 

Our neurologist said the ship should have valium and everything an ambulance would have on it. However, I am wondering about the response time. How long does it take to get the medical help?

 

Do you have any recommendations for how I can be prepared?

 

What a scary situation!!!!

[*Wink*]

I totally agree. I think this is an important part of any review. I do a lot of research before a cruise and count on the boards to let me know which excursions are worthwhile. And NCL has a responsibility to help its passengers get the best possible experience. Those that say NCL is not to blame is forgetting that NCL, as you say, puts its name on the tour and sells it to us. BUT, neither the tour operator nor NCL can help if the fish don't show. The shallow water (leading to cuts on coral) seems preventable, but perhaps they were trying to find fish for the guests. Hopefully, the problems with this, and any excursion, are brought to the attention of the shore excursion staff so that they can make adjustments, as appropriate. And, my experience has been that an NCL staff person goes along (I don't know if this is always true) and therefore should know whether or not the excursion tour operator is providing a quality product.

How is NCL responsible for water depth? No one forced them to go near the rocks that were cutting them up. The ocean is very unpredictable and tide levels change daily. We did a excursion through NCL in Key West. The water was very choppy and hard to swim in, and it also stirred up a lot of sand therefore preventing good clarity of the fish. We didn't think that was NCL's fault.

My point is, when you book an ocean activity, you must be aware there are many variables that can make it a great one or not so great. I think it's a chance you take.

I understand the disappointed of the OP, but I just don't see how NCL can be blamed.

[Mooder]

Winkler, obviously you are correct that no one can change the weather or sea conditions on a given day. All I meant was that some tour operators may be better at finding good places for snorkeling than others and if there is a trend, NCL might want to change. On the other hand, I pointed out that the area they chose to snorkel may very well have been an attempt to give the guests a better experience so I did NOT say that NCL is to blame for this particular disappointment. How would I (or any of us) have any idea what the situation was that day?

[*Wink*]

Winkler, obviously you are correct that no one can change the weather or sea conditions on a given day. All I meant was that some tour operators may be better at finding good places for snorkeling than others and if there is a trend, NCL might want to change. On the other hand, I pointed out that the area they chose to snorkel may very well have been an attempt to give the guests a better experience so I did NOT say that NCL is to blame for this particular disappointment. How would I (or any of us) have any idea what the situation was that day?

....Agreed.. :D

[Mooder]

....Agreed.. :D

 

I love when that happens. You made my day. ;)

[donnar]

That comment about leaving my nephew home was down right wrong. Just because some one has a condition they should not go any place!!!!Yes i do agree that there should of been a plan in case something was to happen but you do get a little lax about things and take them for granted that everyone will be well on vacation. This is just to give all a heads up that if someone you are cruising with has some sort of condition make sure you have a plan it can be a the difference of life or death. This did not destroy our whole vacation.

 

As far as high expectations---we have sailed only on NCL and it has seems it has changed a bit than what we once fell in love with. We have no other cruise lines to compare it to so we did not expect anything different than whatwe have experienced in the past. So in order for us to decide if we sail on NCL again we are just going to see if the grass is greener on the other side---it may not be. We are just grateful that we are able to go on such a wonderful vacation

[greywillow]

Since we are gold members--we have conceirge service. At the beginning of the week we did but by Wed we didnt'--go figure!!!

 

There are only 3 restaurants that are free--Garden Cafe,Venitian and Aqua---why do we pay so much for a ticket only to have to spend $$ to eat??

 

Did the concierge die...or leave the ship? What happened? Did he or she say "sorry, it's Wednesday, so Gold members no longer have concierge service." Were phone calls not returned? This is sketchy information from which no conclusion can be drawn. Why did you conclude that you no longer had concierge service?

 

Regarding the "free" restaurants, that topic has been beaten to death in another thread, so all I'll add is main dining rooms, buffet, pizza, and maybe a pasta and burger bar are typically the "free" dining venues on mass-market cruise ships. And you pay no more "$$" on average for an NCL cruise than a cruise on any of those other mass-market cruise lines. Why complain about NCL? Unless, of course, you're looking around for reasons to complain.

[BuckeyePat]

I don't post here often (just once on the roll call) but I need to comment on this one. I understand how scary a medical emergency can be. I was married to a diabetic and he was always having reactions to different sugar levels. It is hard to keep a clear head when a loved one is in this condition and I would want the cruise staff to act immediately to help.

 

That said, I also wanted to agree with you on the general attitude of the people on the ship. I felt like many (not all) of the dining room staff were surly and did not care if I was pleased with my food/drinks, etc. Our mini suite was very dirty but I felt uncomfortable telling the steward since he seemed overworked. Perhaps I should have spoken up but I kept thinking things would get better. I loved Bermuda and the excursion that we took was excellent but the Dawn left a bad taste in my mouth for NCL.

 

I have been cruising since 1987, racking up about 15 cruises. I always liked NCL but this trip was very disappointing.

 

Perhaps it was just a bad week...

I hope you are right, and it was just a bad week. Sorry the trip was a disappointment to you.

[CC Help Michell]

It may be time to leave the nephew at home. The rest of the stuff was just minor in most cruiser's opinion. You'll more than likely encounter the same.

 

What????? I guess bad taste apparently has no limits. :rolleyes:

 

The OP raised several valid concerns, some financial (the quality of the night snorkel excursion), and one more important than anything else that happens on a cruise (passenger safety and the ship's response in an emergency situation). Apart from raising the question of whether the Dawn's crew may need more training to handle such a situation, the OP also raised a very important reminder for those who travel with folks with conditions which may require emergency intervention (life-threatening allergies, diabetes, asthma, cardiac conditions, etc). It's not unusual for people with those conditions to travel with emergency supplies in case they are needed. But don't forget the extra step -- ALL members of the party traveling with the person need to know what to look for and what should be done in an emergency. My family had a similar "wake up call" with my dad a few years ago, and now all of us from age 6 and up know what to look for, what to do, how to dial 911, and where supplies are kept.

[navybankerteacher]

Not enough fish - and you blame NCL? I believe the responsibility lay with Poseidon -- or, if you prefer, Neptune.

[bklynangel]

My family and i have been on the Dawn several times and absolutely love her. This time around there were some differences that is steering us away from NCL. With a few disappointments--it did not ruin our trip--there were 11 of us and we still had a great time. I will give you the good and the bad.

GOOD:

Embarkation and disembarkation--no problems here.

 

We felt you got more food at the pay restuarants --ate at Venitian--great dinner-i couldn't make up my mind what i wanted so i have the lobster and beef wellington--no problem asking for 2 dinners. Salsa was great--it is now a pay restaurant. The menu has changed in the Blue Lagoon but it is still great for late night munchies.

 

The new bedding was great. We had bathrobes in our room.

 

Entertainment was great.

 

The first CD on board was wonderful.

 

We met alot of great people.

 

Bermuda was beautiful. GOt to see more of the island since we were docked for a couple of days.

 

BAD:

DON'T EVER HAVE AN EMERGENCY ON THE DAWN!!!! My nephew(who is 20 yrs old) went into diabetic shock. Tried to call 911--BUSY--we were told it was due to us yelling in the hallway and lots of people calling it in--understandable. My husband had run down to the reception desk to have them page my sister and husband and was asked lots of questions-like why was he in that room and not his---he was with his cousins--a few stupid questions that could of been asked AFTER the emergency--this was life or death. We were later told by head of security that there might of been a language barrier and the person did not understand that it was an emergency!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Needless to say there was no announcement made to locate my sister!!

 

My sister,niece and her friend went to get the mini massages--my niece and her friend were telling us the wonderful details meanwhile my sister did not get the same treatment. She was sitting in a chair--with her arms out of her shirt in the waiting area and had her feet and hands in water and this was done by a hair stylist (it was written on her uniform!!) Sister did complain and gave her a hard time about giving her $$ back.

 

Night snokeling shore excursion---saw 2 fish and got cut up by coral since we were in knee deep water. Almost everyone on this excursion complained.

 

Since we are gold members--we have conceirge service. At the beginning of the week we did but by Wed we didnt'--go figure!!!

 

There are only 3 restaurants that are free--Garden Cafe,Venitian and Aqua---why do we pay so much for a ticket only to have to spend $$ to eat??

 

Like i said we had a great time dispite the bad but we will be looking into another cruise line for next year.

Sorry to hear about your problem and its kinda scarey since my husband is a diabetic and I have low blood sugar. I have been on the dawn two times and I do find it was better years ago....things have changed.

[bklynangel]

My family and i have been on the Dawn several times and absolutely love her. This time around there were some differences that is steering us away from NCL. With a few disappointments--it did not ruin our trip--there were 11 of us and we still had a great time. I will give you the good and the bad.

GOOD:

Embarkation and disembarkation--no problems here.

 

We felt you got more food at the pay restuarants --ate at Venitian--great dinner-i couldn't make up my mind what i wanted so i have the lobster and beef wellington--no problem asking for 2 dinners. Salsa was great--it is now a pay restaurant. The menu has changed in the Blue Lagoon but it is still great for late night munchies.

 

The new bedding was great. We had bathrobes in our room.

 

Entertainment was great.

 

The first CD on board was wonderful.

 

We met alot of great people.

 

Bermuda was beautiful. GOt to see more of the island since we were docked for a couple of days.

 

BAD:

DON'T EVER HAVE AN EMERGENCY ON THE DAWN!!!! My nephew(who is 20 yrs old) went into diabetic shock. Tried to call 911--BUSY--we were told it was due to us yelling in the hallway and lots of people calling it in--understandable. My husband had run down to the reception desk to have them page my sister and husband and was asked lots of questions-like why was he in that room and not his---he was with his cousins--a few stupid questions that could of been asked AFTER the emergency--this was life or death. We were later told by head of security that there might of been a language barrier and the person did not understand that it was an emergency!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Needless to say there was no announcement made to locate my sister!!

 

My sister,niece and her friend went to get the mini massages--my niece and her friend were telling us the wonderful details meanwhile my sister did not get the same treatment. She was sitting in a chair--with her arms out of her shirt in the waiting area and had her feet and hands in water and this was done by a hair stylist (it was written on her uniform!!) Sister did complain and gave her a hard time about giving her $$ back.

 

Night snokeling shore excursion---saw 2 fish and got cut up by coral since we were in knee deep water. Almost everyone on this excursion complained.

 

Since we are gold members--we have conceirge service. At the beginning of the week we did but by Wed we didnt'--go figure!!!

 

There are only 3 restaurants that are free--Garden Cafe,Venitian and Aqua---why do we pay so much for a ticket only to have to spend $$ to eat??

 

Like i said we had a great time dispite the bad but we will be looking into another cruise line for next year.

Sorry to hear about your problem and its kinda scarey since my husband is a diabetic and I have low blood sugar. I have been on the dawn two times and I do find it was better years ago....things have changed.

[cruise365 24/7]

I'm kinda confused by the way this is told, but I don't mean any disrespect -- I'm sorry this happened to you and as a diabetic myself I empathize for your nephew.

 

Thing is I don't understand why the priority was to find his mother and sister? Did your nephew have a pen? Did you guys know what to do to help him? Were you making attempts to get the doctor to come to him, or were you trying to get him down to the infirmary?

 

Also I wonder what would you have done if you were on an excursion when this happened? You guys should have a gameplan on what to do if he goes hypoglycemic -- with or without his parents around. He should carry a pen with him, or at the very least glucose tabs.

 

I know everything in life can be a "shoulda-woulda-coulda", I don't mean to point out what you did wrong, but my hope for you is that next time you guys can be better prepared for your nephew, in case an emergency happens where you don't have a medical staff available.

 

 

I agree, really, what could have been done by the crew? You are on a cruise ship. There is a certain degree of personal responsibility that goes along with handling a medical issue of a family member. We are lucky that we live in a country where you can pick up a phone and have the police or an ambulance at our doorstep within minutes. But when you go on vacation you cannot expect the same kind of service. Glad he is ok, just have better plans next cruise.

[deepnite10]

despite the scary life and death experience..i have to hand it to the OP

for an even handed review..

 

the way the situation was handled by the crew was far below par..a

very poor example of *safety and health of the passengers is paramont*

i don t think i could have emotionally handled it as well..and it is quiet possible this instance would have ruin d my entire cruise..

 

i would like to know if NCL responded to you concern s..:confused:

 

also disapointing is the continued roll out of 2.0..the adding of sur-charge s to restraunts previously untouched by the charges..there really needs to be a substancial increase of food quality in those venues to justify the addional charges..

[AFT_LOVER]

would be handled with a piece of candy. But the average person doesn't now that. But being told that a language barrier was the problem is very wrong & the execs at NCL would be very interested in a call from you. This will be cured so it never happens on any ship to anyone else.

I'm kinda confused by the way this is told, but I don't mean any disrespect -- I'm sorry this happened to you and as a diabetic myself I empathize for your nephew.

 

Thing is I don't understand why the priority was to find his mother and sister? Did your nephew have a pen? Did you guys know what to do to help him? Were you making attempts to get the doctor to come to him, or were you trying to get him down to the infirmary?

 

Also I wonder what would you have done if you were on an excursion when this happened? You guys should have a gameplan on what to do if he goes hypoglycemic -- with or without his parents around. He should carry a pen with him, or at the very least glucose tabs.

 

I know everything in life can be a "shoulda-woulda-coulda", I don't mean to point out what you did wrong, but my hope for you is that next time you guys can be better prepared for your nephew, in case an emergency happens where you don't have a medical staff available.

[Boat_Drinks]

would be handled with a piece of candy. But the average person doesn't now that.

 

I am Diabetic, so I'll share an important practice I learned from the Joslin Diabetes Center for those who might need to respond to a low-sugar incident. Candy, orange juice or other fluids, etc. aren't the best thing to help a Diabetic in this case. The Diabetic should always have a small tube (about 2 or 3 inches long) of cake frosting on them. It's pure sugar, easily transported, but most important it can be "squirted" into the mouth of the Diabetic and he won't choke on it (unlike hard candies and fluids). As a Diabetic's sugar levels drop to dangerous levels they will become disoriented, argumentative and even combative/resistant (it would take too long to explain why this happens) - so the cake frosting dispenser is perfect, just insert the nozzle in their mouth, hold their lips closed (if necessary) and squeeze. Hold their lips closed so they don't spit it out (accidentally or otherwise), the sugar will start being absorbed through their mouth immediately.

 

PS: I've never reached the point of going into Diabetic shock, but I've been very close. I'd like to think that if I ever DO have a medical emergency like this (particularly one which if addressed PROMPTLY will likely be inconsequential) the ship's crew has some very basic training and is prepared to respond promptly. The OP's report of calling 911 and being asked "20 questions" is unacceptable, get the basic facts and dispatch trained staff to the location IMMEDIATELY.

[newmexicoNita]

Sorry to hear about your problem and its kinda scarey since my husband is a diabetic and I have low blood sugar. I have been on the dawn two times and I do find it was better years ago....things have changed.

you know when we compare a ship today with last year or years before I think we forget, the first time for anything holds more Awe, than after we repeat. I remember the first several times we did Vegas, we couldn't get enough, now we can't get out fast enough. Sure it has changed but I think more than that, the Awe is gone. The same with almost everything in life. We have a favorite place for breakfast after church, but guess what? I am finding myself picking it apart lately. Why, the Awe factor is gone. Things change, but so do we..

 

Have you ever noticed, most negative reviews and comments come from 1-people who have never cruised and have an unrealistic idea about what cruising should be like or 2-they are veteran cruisers. I have to admit, I am more critical than I was 10 or 15 years ago. Thank goodness I realize this so still can enjoy my cruises regardless of a few little set backs.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

despite the scary life and death experience..i have to hand it to the OP

for an even handed review..

 

the way the situation was handled by the crew was far below par..a

very poor example of *safety and health of the passengers is paramont*

i don t think i could have emotionally handled it as well..and it is quiet possible this instance would have ruin d my entire cruise..

 

i would like to know if NCL responded to you concern s..:confused:

 

also disapointing is the continued roll out of 2.0..the adding of sur-charge s to restraunts previously untouched by the charges..there really needs to be a substancial increase of food quality in those venues to justify the addional charges..

have you tried them since the increase? From what some have said, the quality has improved plus Princess charges $20 for their Italian restaurant, not $10. Is is good yes, but not great, you do get an unbeleivable amount to eat, really too much..

 

I too am impressed with the OPs review, he was fair and balanced.

 

Nita